A record number of Americans are expected to take ocean cruises in 2027, according to AAA’s latest cruise forecast, and Florida’s big three ports are expected to be the top embarkation points.
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The company projects 22.4 million Americans sailing next year, a 3.6% increase from the 21.6 million American cruise passengers sailing in 2026. This represents the fifth consecutive year of record cruise passenger volume.
The industry has grown substantially since surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Overall passenger volume is projected to be 57% higher than in 2019 when 14.2 million Americans cruised.
“Cruising isn’t just growing, it’s becoming a go-to vacation for more Americans,” Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA, said in a press release. “Travelers have more ships, destinations and vacation styles to choose from than ever before.
“That variety is attracting everyone from first-time passengers to experienced cruisers looking for their next getaway.”
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The Caribbean remains a top destination for American passengers, representing 71% of U.S. cruise passenger volume. Private destinations in the Caribbean have seen major investments from cruise lines, such as Carnival’s Celebration Key and Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Great Tides Waterpark. These cruise lines also bring their largest ships to the region.
Many Caribbean-bound travelers sail from Miami, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. While Port Canaveral held the title of world’s busiest cruise port for one year, PortMiami will lead in 2027 with an estimated 11.2% share of passenger movements compared with Port Canaveral’s 10.4%.
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Seven-night cruises remain the most popular, but shorter cruises are gaining traction, with 45% of U.S. ocean cruise passengers booking a trip of six nights or less.
Each year, cruise lines are adding newer and larger ships to their lineups. This November, Royal Caribbean’s massive Legend of the Seas will begin sailing from Fort Lauderdale as the third Icon-class ship in Florida — after Miami’s Icon and Port Canaveral’s Star of the Seas.
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Next fall, MSC World Atlantic will sail from Port Canaveral with capacity for more than 6,000 passengers, joining the new Carnival Festivale, which has a similar capacity and will sail beginning in May 2027.
During Port Canaveral’s fiscal year 2027, which began Oct. 1, the port expects to see 10.9 million passenger movements, which tallies each time someone gets on or off a ship, and 23 homeported ships, up from 9 million passenger movements and 20 homeported ships in fiscal year 2026. Port Canaveral will also see a 33% increase in five- and six-ship days at the port in fiscal year 2027.
More than 90% of U.S. cruise passengers rate their experience as good or very good, and 93% book another cruise.
AAA partnered with Tourism Economics to prepare the 2027 cruise forecast based on scheduled itineraries for virtually all major cruise vessels, the economic outlook and travel sector trends.
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